Did someone send you a funny iMessage photo? Chances are you’d want to save that photo.
Can you do it without alerting the sender? What happens once you tap the “Download” button? Will iMessage notify the sender that you saved the image?
iMessage will not alert other users that you’ve saved a photo. As soon as the sender clicks the “Send” button, they lose control of what happens to the sent image. So the sender cannot tell if you saved or deleted the photo. Updates to the iOS operating system did not add any safety feature to protect sensitive or private photos sent through iMessage.
The safety of your texts, files, or data sent through internet-based messaging platforms like iMessage is vital. Continue reading the article to know more about iMessage and whether you’ll get an alert when someone else saves a photo you sent them through iMessage.
What Happens After Sending a Photo via iMessage?
iMessage is Apple’s internet-based messaging platform. It allows you to send texts, GIFs, stickers, photos, documents, and videos.
Only the sender and the recipient can read the messages sent through iMessage because it has an end-to-end encryption feature.
Once you click the “Send” button, iMessage delivers the photo to the recipient. The recipient will choose to save, screenshot, or delete it.
Although no third party can intercept the messages you send to others via iMessage, you’ll no longer have control over the photo.
iMessage will not tell you if they saved the picture. You’ll only see a read status that alerts you if the person on the receiving end has received or read the message.
Therefore, be cautious when sending photos to other people via iMessage. Don’t send sensitive or private pictures to others via iMessage.
Anyone can easily save and re-share them with other people on other messaging platforms without your consent. Besides, you’ll notice that Apple’s terms don’t cover the privacy of photos shared using their services.
Also, Apple doesn’t provide a means to know how the recipient handles the photo once you send it. You can’t use any third-party app linked to iMessage to confirm if they saved or deleted it.
Does iMessage Automatically Save Photos You Receive?
iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 onwards came with a “Shared with You” feature that automatically saves the content sent to you on supported apps like Photos, Music, Podcasts, et cetera.
Therefore, any photo sent to you will appear on your Photos app under the “Share with You” section. Here’s how to view them:
- Open the Photos app on your iOS device.
- Tap the “For You” tab at the bottom.
- Move to the “Shared with You” album.
- Click “See All” to go over your iMessage photos.
Some iOS users see it as a convenience, while others see it as a nightmare. iMessage photos may clutter the Photo app.
Thankfully, there is a way to prevent the iMessage photos from appearing in your photo gallery. Do it as follows:
- Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
- Navigate to “Messages.”
- Tap the “Shared with You” option.
- Disable the “Photos” option.
Once you turn it off, you can either manually save the photo to your gallery or delete it.
How To Save iMessage Photos?
Users with lower iOS versions will have to save photos on iMessage manually. Here’s the procedure:
- Open the Messages app on your iOS device.
- Open the conversation.
- Scroll to the photo and long-press the photo.
- You’ll see several options. Select the “Save” option.
You’ll find your photo in the “Recents” album.
Wrapping Up
iMessage is gradually becoming a go-to messaging platform for most iOS or iPadOS users. Messages sent through the platform are safe because of its encryption feature.
However, iMessage will not notify you when someone screenshots, deletes or saves a photo you sent them. You’ll only see the delivery status once you send it via iMessage.
So, think twice before sending a sensitive or private image to others via iMessage.
FAQs
Open the message thread and tap the username or phone number. Tap “See All” next to “Photos” and hit the “Select” option. Select the photo(s) and tap “Delete.” You can also set an automatic delete period. Go to your Settings app. Select “Messages” and tap the “Keep Messages” button. Select a duration and tap on “Delete.”
Your iPad or iPhone will keep all the texts and files you receive or send through iMessage. It may double save the content of your message. Therefore, it’s advisable to keep deleting messages.
